By Kabiru Umar Sokoto
What makes a man great is not the heights he has attained but the obstacles/hurdles surmounted in attaining the heights.
Succinctly put, the barricading/fence- climbing episode of the House of Representatives in November 2014 and the attainment of victory in the 2019 gubernatorial election, in the face of a glaring attempt/resolve to outwit him, are still in good memories; and defined the God’s factor on the side of the current governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, whose towering political fame, is fast spreading over the firmament.
Born in 1966, Tambuwal completed his primary education at Town Primary School, in Tambuwal in 1979, Government Teachers’ College Dogondaji, 1984; and Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, in 1991, where he studied Law, graduating with an LLB (Hons) degree, completed his one year compulsory legal studies at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos and was called to the bar in 1992. He was at various times in the United Kingdom, United States, Belgium and South Africa; for advanced courses to deepen his already amassed knowledge in the legal calling.
Catapulted by the burning desire to serve in a representative setting, Tambuwal embarked on his journey to political stardom in 2003 when he vied and won a seat to represent Tambuwal/Kebbe federal constituency in the House of Representatives. He was a minority leader in 2005, deputy chief whip, 2007-2011 and was elected the Speaker from June 2011-June 2015.
He was in the same vein, a member of several committees of the House; rules and business, communications, judiciary, inter parliamentary and water resources and an ad-hoc committee on constitution review. Tambuwal further served as the chairman of the ad-hoc committee that reviewed the report of the committee on power probe, chairman sub committee on the bill for an act to amend the Land Use Act and acting chairman of the House committee on power. Imbued glowingly with more legislative arsenals, he was head of the Nigerian delegation to the African, Caribbean Pacific and European Union Parliamentary Assembly and served as the Vice Chairman Economic Committee ACP/EU held in Czech’s capital, Prague, in April 2009.
Tambuwal who was the tenth Speaker in Nigeria’s political history had led the most unified, triumphant and rancour free House of Representatives. His sojourn portrayed inclusivity as all voices were accommodated and carried along in tandem with principles of fairness irrespective of political party persuasions. Till date, this remains a rarity in the green chamber. The diversity in ethnic, religious and political beliefs traditionally in the law making House had not disadvantaged, but propelled his acumen to enormous influence, thus firmly gluing his colleagues as a reliable tag-team, on the path to Nigeria’s greatness. It hung and still hangs as a general standpoint; he had ran the House with adroitness and foresightedness.
In 2015, Tambuwal’s political documents were majorly boosted and embellished as he got elected as the governor by the good people of Sokoto state, with the mandate renewed; during the 2019 governorship polls.
With the governor’s two terms in office running out in 2023; and the incumbent President also leaving by constitutional requirement, Nigerians have since begun ruminating over and shopping for who aptly fits the stool to be left by the latter, especially in view of the agitations across, desiring a new course for the country. In this wise, citizens direly crave as an alternative, someone whose past, had not been befouled by controversies and had ruptured through an underhand deal, their social, political and religious standing before discerning Nigerians.
As a former ‘number four citizen’ and a two terms governor in 2023 by the special grace of God, equipped vastly with legislative and executive street smarts, we believe Tambuwal, stands exceedingly qualified for the office of the President of Nigeria. His sense of moderation, unifying instinct, incorruptibility and prudence in the management of public funds, put him on a high pedestal. He’s first among equals. He commands good appeal across the length and breadth of the country.
Over and above these, he’s a detribalized Nigerian, whose socialization won him applause in the land. His interpretation of the country; is no one, shall be pushed to the peripheral but shall be a clime, where equal opportunities for all is guaranteed. He’s an egalitarian in nature! Given his epoch, in comparison to those hit by the infirmity of old age and wanting to take a shot at the ‘number one spot’, Tambuwal’s cognitive capacity and agility appear to be another chief factor, why Nigerians would comprehensively queue up in his favour.
Advancing a genuine discourse, we found not a ’round peg in a square hole’, in Tambuwal. And therefore he’s at a vantage position to contend for the highest office in the land.
Umar is manager news with Rima Radio, Sokoto
